Darwin International Film Festival

28/08/2026

Tis' the season... for film festivals!

While you're planning your September diary around DIFF, be sure to save the date for MASIFF for your October fix of incredble films.

Head over to Mparntwe Alice Springs International Film Festival for all the details!

27/08/2026

🎬✨ Six films. Six incredible stories. MAGNT is your air-conditioned home for cinema this DIFF.

Bringing together internationally recognised filmmaking, powerful community stories, unforgettable characters and cinema from across Australia and around the world.

🏆 Festival award-winners and audience favourites
🌏 Stories spanning cultures, countries and communities
🎤 Filmmakers and special guests joining us in Darwin
❤️ Films exploring courage, inclusion, creativity, conflict and our connection to the world around us
🎟️ diff.net.au

There’s a LOT to discover:

🩺 AMERICAN DOCTOR
📅 Friday 11 September | 7pm
Three American doctors with different faiths are united by one purpose: saving lives.

📸 CHASING CHAOS | WORLD PREMIERE
📅 Saturday 12 September | 7pm
Highlighting a revolutionary approach to disaster preparedness and relief in the Indo-Pacific. With special guest, Andrew Hyde.

🐎 GUIDED BY HORSES
📅 Sunday 13 September | 7pm
A moving story of horses, healing and the remarkable connections that can transform lives. With special guest, Professor Juli Coffin.

🐈 BOSS CAT
📅 Thursday 17 September | 7pm
A big-hearted celebration of independence and inclusive storytelling from the champions at Bus Stop Films. With special guests Genevieve Clay-Smith and Olivia Hardgroder.

🔥 FLESH AND FUEL
📅 Friday 18 September | 7pm
Bold, provocative cinema that takes us somewhere completely different - and gives us plenty to talk about afterwards.

🦅 BIRD OF PREY
📅 Saturday 19 September | 11am
Presented in partnership with the Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and in honour of the 80th year celebrating Philippines-Australia Friendship Day. With special guest Dr. Jayson Ibanez.

Come for an award-winner. Discover a story you knew nothing about. Meet the people behind the films. And make the most of DIFF at MAGNT!

🎟️ diff.net.au

17/08/2026

11/08/2026

✨ The Darwin International Film Festival program is officially on sale now! ✨

🎟️ diff.net.au

Last night we launched our program with a sold out screening of The Cycle of Love. If you missed this gem of a film, you can catch our encore screening on September 22 at Deckchair Cinema!

For all the juicy DIFF details, head online or grab your program in person from Deckchair Cinema, the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, and out and about around Darwin and Palmerston.

See you September 10-20!

Screen Australia Tourism and Events NT City of Palmerston Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Deckchair Cinema

10/08/2026

🚲 ENCORE SCREENING ADDED FOR THE CYCLE OF LOVE!

For everyone who missed out on tonight’s sold-out screening launching the 2026 Darwin International Film Festival program, we’ve added an encore screening at Deckchair Cinema on Tuesday September 22!

The Cycle of Love is a heart-warming documentary from Oscar-winning director Orlando von Einsiedel, following PK Mahanandia, a young street artist in Delhi who sets off on an extraordinary bicycle journey across continents to reunite with the woman he loves.

🎬 The Cycle of Love: DIFF Encore Screening
📅 7pm Tuesday 22 September
🍽️ Dinner by Three Mum’s Kitchen
🎟️ Tickets and info: www.deckchaircinema.com

Darwin International Film Festival

31/07/2026

Our fabulous FLEXIPASS is back for 2026!

At $150 you'll get to experience the magic of DIFF at member's prices.

Already a member? Purchase a FLEXIPASS and you will receive an exclusive limited edition DIFF tote bag as our gift to you.

✨ What’s included in your FLEXIPASS?

✅ 10 Entries to any general admission DIFF screening - that's $15 per entry
✅ Share it with your friends, family or film-loving crew
✅ Use it how you like - see 10 films yourself or spread the love!

Our FLEXIPASS is the ultimate way to enjoy the festival - flexible, affordable and perfect for those who want to dive into bold stories, global gems and local favourites.

So grab your FLEXIPASS and get your festival started with our program launch on August 10. Opening Night is also on sale now!

🎟️ diff.net.au

29/07/2026

📣 DIFF 2026 Opening Night is ON SALE NOW! 📣

The countdown to 11 unforgettable days and nights of cinema is on!

Grab your FLEXIPASS and join us on for an unforgettable Opening Night of the 2026 Darwin International Film Festival with the NT Premiere of Sundance sensation, Levitating (Para Perasuk).

🗓️ Thursday, September 10
🕖 Gates open 5:30pm for a 7pm start
📍 Deckchair Cinema
🎟️ diff.net.au

✨ Acclaimed Indonesian writer and director Wregas Bhanuteja will join us in Darwin to present his extraordinary new film and officially open the festival.

🎬 Set in a community where ancient trance rituals collide with the pressures of modern life, Levitating is a wildly original cinematic experience blending romance, comedy, body horror and razor-sharp social commentary into one unforgettable ride.

🎶 Arrive early for live music from Leash and the Dusty Boots before the film.

🍴 Grab dinner from Dee Bee Catering and settle in for a spectacular night beneath Darwin's stars.

🎟️ Tickets are on sale now at diff.net.au

Don't miss the full program launch on Monday, August 10 at Deckchair Cinema.

Screen Australia Tourism and Events NT Screen Territory

12/03/2026

🎬 The Darwin Film Society goes to Sundance!

We love seeing DFS repped around the globe. Some of our superfans recently made the trip all the way to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, wearing their Deckie and DIFF tees with pride! They also came back with some juicy film tips for us this season 😉

04/03/2026

🎬 Submissions are OPEN for DIFF 2026! 🎉

The Darwin International Film Festival 2026 is officially calling for entries, and we can’t wait to see what filmmakers from around Australia and the world have been creating.

✨ New categories this year:
• Short Film – Indigenous Australia
• Short Film – Animation
• Short Film – Australian
• Feature Film – Australian

If you’ve got a story to tell, a vision to share, or a film ready for the big screen, this is your moment.

📅 Submission Deadline: 19 June 2026
🎥 Festival Dates: 10-20 September 2026

Join us in celebrating bold storytelling, fresh voices, and incredible cinema.

Submit your film 👉 filmfreeway.com/diff_nt

13/01/2026

✨ Golden Globes Glory ✨

The award season has begun and we're always very pleased with ourselves when we see our film picks take out the big awards 😉👏

🏆 HAMNET
Winner of Best Motion Picture - Drama

Plus a showstopping win for Jessie Buckley, taking home Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

This powerful, poetic triumph is set to captivate audiences at Flix in the Wet in 2026.

🎬 Darwin Premiere
📍 Flix in the Wet at MAGNT
📆 28 Feb | 7 Mar (OC) | 15 Mar
🎟️ flixinthewet.com

🏆 SENTIMENTAL VALUE
Premiered in Darwin at DIFF 2025 and back by popular demand at Flix in the Wet 2026.

Starring the incomparable Stellan Skarsgård, who won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture.

Subtle, moving, and masterfully performed.

🎬 Darwin Encore Screenings
📍 Flix in the Wet at MAGNT
📆 7 Mar | 21 Mar | 28 Mar
🎟️ flixinthewet.com

🏆 THE SECRET AGENT

Lead actor Wagner Moura claimed Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama, cementing the film’s status as one of the year’s most gripping performances.

🎥 Screened at DIFF 2025 and now officially Golden Globes approved.